Antiskid chain



P. H. PFEIL ANTISKID CHAIN Dec. 25, 1928.

Filed March 1927 INVENTOR. PHILIP H PFEIL. MU)! Z5 M ATTORNEY Fatented Dec. 25, 1928.

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PHILIP H. rrEIL, or'cnroaoo HEIGHTS, ILLINO S.

ANTISKID oHAIr-I.

Applicationfiied M rch s, 1927. Serial a0, 173,643.

' Myinvention relates to an improved construction of anti-skid chains for use on the wheels of self propelled vehicles. It hasbeen proposed in the past to use chains arranged and constructed in one manner or another for the purpose of preventing skiddingof the wheels of vehicles and to facilitate placingv the chains on the wheels, fastening and connecting devices of various kinds have been proposed. These fastening devices, as heretofore constructed, have been open to several objections, first, if of simple and inexpensive construction, they have required a prohibitive amount of loosenessof the chains to permit engaging and disengaging the fastening devices, and, second, if constructed in a manner to obviate the looseness of the chains, they have been of relatively complicated and expensive construction. i The object of my present invention is to produce a connecting and fastening device for anti-skid chains, which-is simple and in expensive in construction, easy to manipulate, and requires practically no slack in the chain to engage and disengage it. My improved connecting and fastening devices may be employed with difierent types of antiskid chains as desired, for examplethey are equally applicable to unit chains consisting when in place only of lateral rings of chain around the tires of the vehicle, or to ring type chains having parallel rings of chain around the lateral faces of thetire connected at intervals by cross chains. 1

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment thereof, in which V Fig. 1 shows inside elevation a part of'a vehicle wheel with two unit chains held thereon by my fastening devices,

Fig. 2 shows in a view similar to Fig. 1 to an enlarged scale one of the chains illustrated in Fig.1,

Fig. 3 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 2 taken along the line 8-3, and

Fig. 4cshows in a view similar to Fig. 1

the use of my fastening device in connection with a chain of the circumferential ring type.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts thoughout the several views.

As shown in Fig. 1, a part of a wheel rim is illustrated at 10, supported by spokes 11 and carrying a tire 12, around which at intervals unitchains 13, 13am placed. As more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 8, a yoke memher 1 1 extends across the inner surface of the rim 10, having bent ends to prevent its displacement from the position indicated in Fig. 3, said bent endsterminating in eyes 15 and 16. I The eye 16 is engaged permanently by one end of the chain 13 and the other eye 15,permanently engages one end ofthe connecting device 17. As shown in FigsQ and 8, the connecting device 17 consists of a bar of metal, preferably steel, of suiiicient diameter to stand the strain exerted on the chain during its use, without deforming the bent end portions of the connecting device. The yoke 14k may. be'similarly formed, if de sired. or have any equivalent constructionfor securing the result above described. The con- Y necting device 1? is bent into'an'eye 18 at one of its ends which is in permanent engagement with the eye 15 on the yoke 1 1, andat its other end the device 17is bent'in the form of an open helix of somewhat more than one complete turn, for eXample'one and one half turns, the separation of the turns of the h elii: being suliicient to permit alink ofthe chain 13 to pass freely between the turns of the helix.

that is required is to, place the yoke is be tween the desired spokes 11, and after passing the ch ain13 around the tire 12, to pass the end link 13 of the chain around the helical end of the device 17, until the link 13 is inthe positionindicated in Figs. 2 and 3. It will be tion indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 to'the relnaining links of the chain, as a result of which all To placethe chain 13 around the tire 12, all i that is necessary in passing the link 13to the 1 position indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, is to twist the link and the chain 13 to make the last half turn around the helical portion 19. When in place as described, the projecting end of the helical portion 19 serves as a guard to prevent disengagement of the device accidentally, and

i when the chain is in use, no amount of shaking or rattling can dlsengage the link 19 from.

the device 17. When it is desired to remove the chain, the FM 13 is given a motion the reverse of that above described and is readily separated from the device 17.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4, a part of a tire 12 is illustrated with a part of a chain the circumferential ringtype on one side of it, it being understood that a Sllllll? form of iii 1, chain is placed on the other side the tree in the manner usual with such devices and connected with the chain 20 intervals by cross chains 21, the two rin chains and all of the cross chains being pernizuiently Secured together in any desired way, ant the chains being provided with connecting; devices for placing them on the tire and removing them from the tire as desired. in using my connecting device 1'? with this type of chain, the arrange mentand operation the with each of the ring chains so it will be necessary to describe only one of then, for example the chain 20, with one end ink 22 of which the eye 18is in. permanent en gageinent. The helical end 19 or". the connecting; device 17 is of the same construction as above descr bed, and may engage the other end link 23 of the chain 20 in the same manner above d scribed for the link 13, anc with the smile advai tages.

It will be understood that unit chains 01" the kind shown at 13 are applicable cnlv where the vehicle wheels are or the so-called artille type, or are otherwise provided with easeing s laterally within the wheel rim, ant that where the wheels are of the disk type one imperforate at or near the rim, ring chains ot the hind indicated in Fig. l are generally used, although the latter are also applicable 19 of the l have shown my inve: "ion in the pa embodiment above d scribed, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to this enact construction as I may employ uivalents known to the art-at the time of filing of this application without departcm, the scope the appended claims. ,v'hat I c aim is:

1. A fastening device for anti-skid chains of the type consisting 01;"? a single series of links asting of a bar for attachment with one or l of said cha n and having an open helical formation 01 substantially one and one-half turns for removable engagement with the other end of said chain.

2. A fastening device for anti-skid chains ii the type consisting of a single series of inks consisting of bar having an eyeat one art. for permanent attachment with one end f said chain and having an pen helical ton mation at its other end of substantially one and one-half turns for removable engagement with the other end of said chair In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 4th say of March, A. D. 1927.

PHILIP H. PFEIL.

remely' xall exceed 

